How Toby Johnson Developed a Defensive Powerhouse on the Pirates

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IFL Massachusetts Pirates

How Toby Johnson Developed a Defensive Powerhouse on the Pirates

July 16, 2025 - Indoor Football League (IFL)
Massachusetts Pirates News Release


LOWELL, MA - Through 13 games, the Massachusetts Pirates' defense ranks No. 1 in the IFL in total defense, leading the league in multiple statistical categories. Pirates Assistant Head Coach, Defensive Line Coach, and Defensive Run Game Coordinator Toby Johnson is a core element within that defensive success.

Johnson has built the defense's identity around one key term: aggressiveness. The principle of the defense is to "get after the quarterback," as Johnson describes it. In doing so, the Pirates lead the IFL in total sacks with 21 on the season, and three players rank in the top 15 of the league on an individual basis. Linebacker Marquis Waters sits at No. 2 in the league with 6.5 sacks, while defensive linemen DJ Dale, Dominic Quewon, and Mike Mason sit at No. 7, No. 14, and No. 15, respectively.

However, a hyper-aggressive defense is prone to mistakes. If a defense blitzes at a high rate, with the unit's primary focus being to break into the backfield, that leaves the defense highly susceptible to breakaway runs that could lead to a score if the secondary is not in a good position to make a tackle.

Yet, Massachusetts has been very successful at stopping the run in 2025 while focusing on getting the quarterback on the ground. But the defense isn't just good at containing the run. The unit ranks No. 2 in the entire league in run defense, allowing the fewest rushing touchdowns in the IFL and the fewest yards allowed.

While the personnel on the field make plays happen, it's the coach's job to set the defense up to make those plays, and in order for the Pirates' defensive strategy to work, the team needs an excellent coach. Bluntly speaking, it is truly remarkable what Johnson has done with the Massachusetts defense in 2025.

The defense's overall work ethic and dedicated culture are traits Johnson details as driving factors for how the team executes plays and the overall scheme at a dominant level.

"Guys paying attention to detail and coming in to work each and every day," Johnson reasoned. "Just taking the culture we have off the field, now onto the field. Guys are meshing. We have a lot of hungry guys that feel like they should be [in the league]."

In addition to the defense's success on the forefront, the team has been exceptional in coverage, always threatening to force a turnover in the air, recording 15 interceptions in 2025, which ranks as the fifth-most in the IFL. "I feel like we have the best man-to-man [defensive backs] in the league," Johnson added.

Johnson stems from nearly a decade of professional playing experience spanning across several leagues. The former Georgia Bulldog signed with the Pirates in 2019, and in 2021, Johnson broke out as a significant contributor to Massachusetts' title run that season, being elected to the All-IFL Defensive First Team with 57 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks. He shares that championship experience with his players, conveying the recipe for success.

"My approach this year is we're going to finish and leave no doubt," said Johnson. "Everybody is going to be on the same page, and we need selfless guys [who] are willing to do whatever it takes to win games. We have positionless players [who] can line up anywhere across the board. We need selfless and positionless players."

Johnson also notes that the versatility of the Massachusetts defense is a key component of that recipe for success, with a considerable number of players on the roster possessing the ability to line up in several different areas on the field.

Johnson began his playing career at Hutchinson Community College in Hutchinson, KS, where he would play for two years before transferring to Georgia for his junior and senior seasons. In 13 games for the Bulldogs, he recorded 27 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, and two pass deflections.

In 2015, the Tennessee Titans signed Johnson as an undrafted free agent in the summer. Following the NFL preseason, he was a practice squad player for the Jacksonville Jaguars and Chicago Bears before finding a home with the Minnesota Vikings from 2016 to 2017, posting several tackles and a quarterback hit in two games for the franchise.

After two more practice squad stints with the Carolina Panthers and Detroit Lions, and his time with the Pirates, Johnson played with the New Jersey Generals of the USFL from 2022 to 2023 and the Houston Roughnecks of the UFL in 2024.

In addition to his championship experience, Johnson utilizes his professional experience in his coaching, connecting with players on a deeper level and motivating them to always play to the best of their abilities. He always prepares his players for external opportunities, and that extra push of motivation gives the team a competitive edge that they carry over into game day.

"We have a lot of guys who played in the SEC ... I just try to motivate guys to not be complacent," said Johnson. "From a motivational standpoint, I feel like I get the guys ready to play ball and play to their highest potential."

Johnson's ability to connect with his players from an emotional standpoint allows the team to know their assignments and to stay on the same page with each other. This allows the unit as a whole to be strikingly volatile, as one of the best defenses in the IFL in nearly every statistical category.

With two games left in the regular season and a 7-7 record, the Pirates currently sit one game outside the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. This Friday, July 18, the team will head to Green Bay, WI, to play the 9-5 Blizzard in a matchup that could bring the season series to 1-1 and inch the Pirates closer to a postseason berth.

Johnson continues to relay the message to his team to finish their job and leave no doubt heading into the final weeks, as the Massachusetts defense looks to hold an opposing offense below 40 points for the eighth occasion in the last nine games.



Indoor Football League Stories from July 16, 2025


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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